Inspired by Paris-Roubaix

Sunday 9 June 2019

The Tour of the Black Country takes in 15km of cobbled roads, stony farm tracks and bridleways in the Midlands, and finishes in an outdoor Roubaix-style velodrome. 110km (70 mile) route. Rated as one of the top 6 events in the country in 2016.

Inspired by Liege-Bastogne-Liege

Sunday 7 July 2019

The Bournville Hilly Classic features 16 tough climbs south of Birmingham (8-17%, 0.5km - 3.5km long) in a 110km (68 mile) route. Of equal importance to the climbs are the 11 broad, sweeping descents, which can be pedalled down hard in top gear.

Inspired by the Strade Bianche

Sunday 21 July 2019

The White Roads Classic includes 18 sectors of white gravel and chalk roads totalling 30km on and around The Ridgeway in Oxfordshire - an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. Based on the Strade Bianche pro race. New 80-mile route.

The Cannock Chase Classic

Sunday 18 Aug 2019

The Cannock Chase Classic takes in 30 km of forest roads in an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty passing through the Shugborough Estate. 110km (68 mile) route.

Inspired by the Tour of Flanders

The Cheshire Cobbled Classic is an extremely tough sportive featuring twelve cobbled sectors, including five cobbled climbs that exceed 20% in gradient. New 120km (75-mile) route for 2018.

The Cycle Classics Series is a unique set of events inspired by the most exciting and iconic one-day Classics on the professional road racing calendar: Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders, and the Strade Bianche. Like their professional counterparts, the Wilier Classics events are all defined by unusual road surfaces: the gravel and cobbled sectors of the epic Tour of the Black Country, which pay homage to Paris-Roubaix; the short, steep Flanders-like cobbled climbs of the Cheshire Cobbled Classic; and the white gravel and chalk roads of the White Roads Classic, which mimic the Italian strade bianche (literally ‘white roads’). Each of these surfaces provides its own characteristic riding experience, but common to all of these types of surface are the enhanced sensations of speed, and the excitement that riding on rough unpaved roads provides. In addition, riding on these old, battered unpaved roads provides a direct connection to cycling’s past, and to the heritage and traditions of this beautiful sport. The Roubaix-inspired Tour of the Black Country finishes on a large outdoor velodrome, as does Paris-Roubaix itself, which has made the Roubaix velodrome one of the most iconic venues in all of cycling. The Cycle Classics Series captures the epic quality of Paris-Roubaix, the Tour of Flanders and the Strade Bianche, and gives you a real sense of what riding them is like.The Tour of the Black Country sportive was rated in 2016 as one of the Top 6 cycling events in the UK.

Although these events are inspired by classic European cycle races, they also have a recognizable British identity, rooted in the local landscapes and culture.

Wilier are the new title sponsors of the Tour of the Black Country, the Cheshire Cobbled Classic and the White Roads Classic, and for the Roubaix Series of velodrome-based events. Wilier have been producing high quality bicycles in Italy since 1906 and supplied a range of professional teams over the years, most memorably to the late Marco Pantani ‘s Mercatone Uno team in the 1990s. Pantani made the fastest ever ascent of Alpe d’Huez on his ‘Il Pirata’-styled Wilier in 1997, on the way to finishing third in that year’s Tour de France. The famous Italian cyclist Fiorenzo Magni rode a Wilier in his 1948 Giro d’Italia win as well as in his 1949 and 1950 Tour of Flanders wins. World Champion Alessandro Ballan rode a Wilier bicycle to victory in the 2008 UCI Road World Championships. In 2016, the stylish Italian rider Filippo Pozzato rode to a top-10 finish in Milan-San Remo, and repeated this feat in the 2017 Tour of Flanders, on the striking Wilier Cento10Air. We are proud to be sponsored by Wilier, a company who shares our passion for the Classics.

'One of the best sportives I have ever participated in. Great route, great technical challenge and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will spread the word.'

- Christopher R.

'Fantastic concept! Great to have an event with a new edge. Looking forward to next year!'

- Paul H.

'The Tour of the Black Country is probably the best sportive route in the annual calendar. Organised to the highest professional standards and quickly gaining a reputation right across Europe, this is a ride of absolute brilliance.'

- Urban Cycles

'The best-organized sportive I've ever been to. Incredible that 2014 was the first running of the event. The corporate big boys had better watch out!'

- Neil K.

'Brilliant event!'

- Julie B.

'Excellent event. Well run. Definitely a different sportive and should be a regular on the sportive calendar for decades. Chapeau to all involved.'